Learning To Fall
by Suteishichic
Summary: Prince of Tennis Yaoi love story. Pairings: Golden Pair, TezuFuji, & more...Rating: M Warnings: Yaoi, Love, Angst, Fluff, & Sex. 71 Chapters. Finally completed on lj and aff.n! MM, Lemon, Yaoi
1. Chapter 1

* * *

They didn't become friends or even best friends until their junior year of Junior High. Before then both Oishi Shuuichirou and Kikumaru Eiji went to school and played as members of Seigaku's tennis club. They were acquaintances, well they knew of each other, but it was still a long time before they were nearly permanently partnered, and known as the Golden Pair.

Actually it was exuberant Eiji who decided to become fast friends with steadfast Oishi. This happened about half a heartbeat after his newest good friend Fuji Syusuke subtly suggested it, seemingly out of the blue.

Fuji arrived at their school a couple of months earlier. Eiji attached himself to Fuji within a minute of Fuji's arrival. He decided to become friends with the smiling newcomer immediately, thrilled, once he learned that Fuji was new, in his class, and also would be on the tennis team. He decided to be good friends with Fuji the moment he discovered that Fuji smiled nearly all the time. He decided to become very good friends with Fuji when he found that Fuji laughed at all of his jokes.

One morning, some time later, Eiji and his new good friend Fuji were walking to school together and talking. Fuji happened to mention casually to Eiji just how fascinating and deep he thought Oishi was. Fuji said Oishi was someone who was really worth getting to know.

Eiji really had not noticed Oishi before. Well, he had noticed him, he just tried not to. He didn't think very often or much about him. Oishi was well-liked, quiet, and serious. He was usually around the stoic, deadpan, team Vice-captain Tezuka Kunimitsu. Tezuka seemed to be the one person on the planet Eiji could never charm into smiling or coax a laugh from. Ever. And he had tried his heart out. Eiji was not used to not being liked. He was unfamiliar with being disliked even more.

Instead, Tezuka often was curt with Eiji, abrupt, and he seemed to dislike Eiji intensely. The only time Tezuka ever seemed to speak to Eiji was when he was making Eiji run laps for making everyone else laugh. It was a near daily occurrence. Eiji figured that if making people run laps gave Tezuka pleasure then Eiji must have made him a very happy guy. Until Fuji came to Seigaku, Eiji worked his hardest to make Tezuka if not like him, then at least stop hating him. He played his hardest, he ran the often assigned extra punishment laps hard, never showed he was upset, and he tried every way he knew to win him over. Or to at least thaw his cold hard heart.

Nothing worked. Eiji tried to play it off like no big deal. He had tons of friends and was popular but still, it bothered him. The first day Fuji came, the very first, Fuji told Eiji as they walked home after practice to just let go. That it was Tezuka's loss, not Eiji's. That Fuji had seen Eiji's struggle when no one else had made him feel better. It made Eiji feel a million times better. He tried to follow Fuji's advice.

Nearly every day, Oishi was usually standing near his friend Tezuka watching this go on. So, Eiji, then did not think much about Oishi either. Instead, guided by Fuji, his friend, Eiji turned his considerable attentions and affections elsewhere. He stopped worrying about winning over Tezuka and Tezuka's friend Oishi.

However, if Fuji said someone was fascinating and deep and worth getting to know...then it must be completely true. Even if that person was Tezuka's friend and Eiji decided to get to the bottom of the mystery of Oishi as soon as possible. Despite the fact that they had rarely ever even talked before.

Oishi for his part had noticed Kikumaru before. It was very hard not to. He was usually surrounded by a crowd of laughing friends and admirers who hung on his every word, waiting for him to entertain them. Kikumaru seemed to (very loudly) get along with and be adored by everyone. Usually it also seemed the more Kikumaru was liked and admired the more carried away and outrageous he became.

Oishi had grown up in a very quiet, traditional family. His father was stern and industrious, his mother was quiet and placid, his sisters studious and pleasant. Oishi, the oldest child, was an honor student, involved with the tennis club, and class president. He was everyone's favorite big brother. He loved his parents and they loved him, but attention was not something he felt he was supposed to seek. Affection was not something he felt comfortable demonstrating openly or freely. He had not grown up with lavished with either affection or attention so both were foreign to him. He enjoyed laughing, sure, but he was not the guy who made the jokes, carried the tune, or ever stole the show. It just was not familiar to him. He was just fine with that and with who he was.

Once in a while, though, seeing Kikumaru give so freely a hug or a kiss hello to someone, bellowing "Hoi! Good morning! I am SO glad to see you!" Oishi found himself watching and often wondering what that must be like. Oishi knew his good friend, the team Vice-captain Tezuka did not really dislike Kikumaru Eiji, he thought he had potential to be a good tennis player actually. However, Tezuka seriously did not like most of Kikumaru's noise or his antics. Tezuka knew a class clown type of character was occasionally good for team morale but did not intend to become associated with being anywhere near the source of the hilarity.

After Fuji came to Seigaku though, things seemed to be changing. With Fuji there, calm, gentle Fuji being so close to Kikumaru, Tezuka seemed somehow a bit more tolerant. A bit less gruff. A bit more accepting, of many things, even Kikumaru.

It surprised Oishi that Kikumaru and Fuji became such close friends so soon after Fuji arrived. While Fuji was always smiling, it was the smile of someone who was serious, centered, and comfortable within himself. He was soft spoken, brilliant, calm, and elegantly gentle. Oishi often watched amazed as Fuji, the tensai, the prodigy, the genius, allowed Kikumaru to tease him and make him laugh at himself. Oishi often wondered how Fuji put up with childish exuberance and boundless enthusiasm of Kikumaru. Yet, Fuji seemed to dote on him. It looked like he actually enjoyed Kikumaru's often near hyperactive theatrics. It really surprised Oishi as few things ever did, up until then.

It also surprised Oishi when he noticed by watching a little more, that Kikumaru was actually a very good friend to the tensai. Kikumaru instinctively toned and calmed himself down around Fuji. It was as if he turned himself down to match Fuji's frequency and intensity. Not that Kikumaru was still not the outrageous clown--he was. However the clown he was for Fuji was an attentive, affectionate, good friend first. Oishi found this fascinating.

One day before afternoon practice in the tennis club dressing room, Oishi was musing over all this while watching Kikumaru entertain a crowd of club members. Kikumaru had them all laughing over a popular horror teen movie that everyone except Oishi seemed to know well. Jokes and gore weren't Oishi's thing.

Out of nowhere Fuji silently and suddenly appeared at Oishi's side. Fuji's gentle voice was a cool purr as he said softly, "Ne, Oishi, I must say, sometimes, I just love to watch him work." The calm tensai smiled at his teammate as if he and Oishi had been standing there talking. Or as if he had read Oishi's thoughts while he watched Kikumaru.

"Work?" Oishi was both startled and confused. Kikumaru was punctuating his story with wild waves and gestures. Everyone watching him was waiting for the finish of the story, their eyes alight. Everyone was poised to laugh at the inevitable hilarious conclusion.

Fuji explained still smiling and watching Kikumaru, "Nn. He is really amazing. Just before you arrived, that freshman in the bandanna, and the other one in the yellow shirt were just about to fight with each other. Eiji diffused the situation within a few moments by just making everyone laugh." Oishi felt his mouth drop open and turned to look at Fuji who gestured with a slight tilt of his head for Oishi to look back at Kikumaru.

Just as Oishi turned, Kikumaru did the last bit of his story, punctuated with a standing back flip flying through the air that purposefully landed him on his butt instead of his feet. He grabbed his throat as if dying and spasmed comically. Everyone laughed uproariously, applauded, and wandered out to start practice, still laughing. Any fight or thoughts of a fight were completely forgotten. Oishi even glanced at the two freshmen Fuji pointed out to him. They did avoid looking at each other, but each of them had smiles on their faces as they walked out.

"Hoi! Fu-ji! Oi-shi! Kikumaru sang at them and put his arms around both their backs. "Hoi! Did you like my story? Wasn't it funny! Let's go! Practice! Yah-hoi!" and he lead them outside into the sunshine with his arms still around them. He turned them all sideways so they could fit through the narrow door. Fuji was still smiling and Oishi was still stunned.

Oishi watched Kikumaru throughout practice that day very closely. Kikumaru played his heart out. He was constantly encouraging others with either jokes when they were down or whining to make them laugh when everyone was exhausted. Always making people smile, feel good, and work harder. He was totally enthusiastic the entire time. His energy seemed boundless. His laughter contagious. His smile infectious. Inevitably when his antics won everyone that day 10 extra laps from Tezuka, it was almost as if everyone enjoyed their "punishment" for his "crimes". The entire team was happier and felt closer together in the end.

When practice was over Kikumaru walked up to Oishi like it was the most natural thing in the world. As if they were already friends. "Hoi, Oishi, can you help me with something I need to work on for a few minutes?" He was sweating from the hard practice as Oishi was. His head was cocked to the side and he was smiling.

"Work on? What is it Kikumaru?"

"Pleeeease? Play a little with me?" He was loud, and several people turned to look at them.

"A...ano, would you like me to find Fuji for you?"

"Nya, NYA! Fuji-senpai would beat me. Please? I have an idea that I need to try. Just a few minutes. Please?"

So they played. Oishi never could say no to him.

That was the first time Oishi ever saw Kikumaru do some serious acrobatics. What he wanted to work on for some odd reason was hitting the ball while facing the complete other direction at the net. Most of the time he wanted to hit it backwards between his legs while sailing through the air. Oishi then understood that Fuji really did not play that kind of tennis to allow those types of hits. Once Oishi figured out what Kikumaru was trying to do, even though Oishi had no idea why, he was able to hit the ball just so Kikumaru got down the best angles to return it down. A few minutes turned into over an hour before Oishi realized.

At one point during their playing, Oishi thought he saw a smiling Fuji watching them, but when he looked back, the tensai was no where to be found.

They went to shower and get changed and Oishi was again shocked. This time at the scrapes and bruises all over Kikumaru. Oishi gasped, "What happened? Did you get in a fight? Let me get the med kit! Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"Hah? NYA! A fight?" Kikumaru laughed, "You SAW what happened. Acrobatics. Its nothing. It happens all the time. Don't you get bruises, blisters, and sores too?" Kikumaru was looking at Oishi like Oishi was the one who was crazy. But Oishi also noticed that the outrageous, outlandish guy was--embarrassed? Kikumaru--embarrassed? "Nya! Its nothing. It happens all the time. I know how to fall!" He shrugged smiling. "Fuji-senpai says 'Do not consider painful what is good for you.' " The battered looking guy said it in a near perfect imitation of the velvet voiced tensai and then smiled.

Euripides, huh? Oishi had to smile, "Well, let me at least put a bandage on the scrape on your arm? Its bleeding. Okay?"

In the end Kikumaru let him dress that and a few other bleeding scrapes, albeit with many protests about the pain the disinfectant caused, the agony the bandages caused him, and even more about the torture of having to sit still.

Kikumaru ended up talking Oishi into going for ice cream with him after. Even though Oishi did not love sweets and had a thousand things to do for school the next day, he found himself saying yes. Kikumaru must have found his impressions of their teachers and Tezuka made Oishi laugh so he kept at it until Oishi's sides ached. After they had ice cream, somehow, Oishi ended up walking Kikumaru all the way to his home. Oishi was just listening to him talk about this and that, laughing with him, and the next thing Oishi knew, they were all the way to Kikumaru's house before he even realized it. Kikumaru hugged Oishi suddenly, surprising him again, and then thanked him for his help. Before going inside he yelled a cheerful "Bye! See you tomorrow!" over his shoulder.

Oishi got home late, after dark, and went to bed hours later than normal because he was so behind. He found though, that sleep did not come easy. He kept thinking about Eiji Kikumaru, his laughter, his scrapes, and his warmth. He was glad he made a new friend.

* * *

This pattern went on for a couple of weeks. Suddenly Eiji Kikumaru was Eiji his friend. It meant that for once IN the circle of people laughing around Kikumaru, Oishi was now usually there. Oishi was always amazed at how it would just sort of, happen. Kikumaru would see Oishi, start to talk to him, and usually make him laugh. The next thing Oishi knew a crowd was there around them laughing too.

It was kind of nice.

The Friday of that week the team was getting ready for their next tournament. Practice, everyone knew, would be harder than normal. Saturday practice was going to be very tough too, but at least there was no practice on Sunday.

They walked out of the dressing room together and Oishi was about to ask Kikumaru which way he was headed when his cell phone rang.

In addition to Eiji, the other thing Oishi discovered in junior high was girls. Or rather, the girls discovered him. He had dated several girls, all right, a lot of girls, and he enjoyed some of dating but not all of it. Actually, if he had to sum it up what he liked about dating it was, the kissing.

For a guy who was not openly affectionate, Oishi found he adored kissing. The closeness, the panting, the petting, the soft sighs, the bodies entwined, the moist lips pressing, the teasing, the touching, the tongues sliding against each other...

Yes, he really enjoyed the kissing. But for some reason though, something about quiet serious Oishi attracted nice, sweet, seemingly respectable girls who after only a couple of dates were ready to go way past kissing. A couple of dates and they were telling him they loved him. A couple of dates and they wanted him to be their boyfriend. Occasionally, Oishi, up to a point, complied, with both the boyfriend part and the way past kissing also.

A few dates more though and it seemed the girls went crazy. They wanted to see him all the time. They wanted all his time, his attention, his affection, his love, and a few already had been pushing to go all the way. They would say after only a few dates they wanted to have sex with him because they loved him. Oishi was surprised, time after time again as he found a girl he really barely only knew, telling him she loved him. She barely knew him. How could she say she loved him?

Oishi found it best to break the dating off with the girl at that point. Better she have a little hurt then, than a lot of hurt later. Still, he got frequent love notes, phone calls, invitations, and more from girls he had dated, kissed, or fooled around with once or twice who would not let go. It baffled him.

On his phone was a new girl he met the weekend before while out at a favorite pet store. She seemed nice and very pretty. She was around his age and went to another school. They had talked on the phone a few times when she had called him. To be honest, he couldn't even remember her face. Just that she was pretty, had shoulder length brown hair, and called him often.

She wanted to know if he wanted to meet up and see a movie on Sunday? For a date? And did he have a cute friend for her friend?

So Oishi looked at Eiji, told her he would see, and call her back.

"Eiji, that was this girl I met asking me to go see a movie Sunday. On a date. Do you want to go?"

"Nya! You're going on a date with a girl! Why would I go too? Fuji-senpai says two's company and three's a crowd." The horrified look on Eiji's face made Oishi laugh. So did the fact that ever since Fuji had made regulars, nearly immediately after arriving at Seigaku, Eiji seemed obsessed with now only calling and referring to his friend as senpai 24/7 no matter how much the tensai laughingly protested.

"No, Eiji," Oishi laughed, "she has a friend who needs a date too. It would be a double date. It'll be fun." And with Eiji there it would be. Everyone loved Eiji. In fact that would be even better because Oishi really could not remember much about this girl but with Eiji and another girl there it would be fine.

"I don't know..." Eiji said it small and oddly. "I..I..."

"Are you already dating someone, Eiji?" Oishi was not sure. Most of the time he had spent with Eiji they were either laughing or playing tennis. When they did talk they talked about school or tennis. Not really girls.

"Nya!" Then he whispered, "I've never been on a date before Oishi!"

Oishi was surprised. He knew many girls went to watch tennis practice just to watch Eiji. He knew of two girls who had asked Oishi to slip notes to Eiji, professing their love and adoration to him before he and Eiji were even friends, when they were just in tennis together. He realized Eiji was waiting for him to say something and the silence was dragging on. "Oh, Eiji, I'm just surprised, I mean, I know quite a few girls have crushes on you..."

"Nya! A date isn't the SAME as someone giving you a note or calling you!"

Well, that was true. Then Oishi smiled. "It'll be fun. I'll be there and be sure you're fine." For some reason now Oishi really wanted Eiji to go. Eiji stood there as if trying to decide. His head was cocked to one side, and one eye closed in thought.

"Hoi. Well...," and Oishi knew Eiji was gearing up to talk him into something. Eiji loved to bargain and an offer was about to be made. "Maybe you can have dinner and come sleep over my house tonight? You can tell me what to wear and what to do? Then if I need to get something to wear we can go after practice tomorrow. You can help me! That'll be fun!"

Why not? They could go to practice together on Saturday morning. Oishi's family was out of town for the weekend at his grandparents. They frequently were since his grandmother had been sick for a long time. Oishi stayed behind due to tennis and schoolwork. He usually spent weekends when not at practice by himself. He had already done his homework anticipating Saturdays practice. There was really no reason for him not to go.

"Well, if it would be all right with your parents...?"

"YAAAY!" Eiji threw himself around Oishi in a huge hug.

"Eiji, I'll need to stop by my house first. I have to leave a message for my parents and get some things..."

"HOI! LET'S GO!" Oishi did not have the heart to tell Eiji that he didn't mean for Eiji to accompany him home. Oishi smiled and shrugged. He caught up to Eiji enthusiastically leading only knowing the general direction Oishi lived in. Oishi called the girl back along the way and told her Sunday would be great for them.

When they arrived at Oishi's, he lead Eiji into his house and carefully, silently, removed his shoes, placing them neatly in their place. Eiji followed him and they went up to Oishi's room. The house was, as always, still, clean, and quiet.

Oishi led Eiji up the stairs, into his room, and flipped on the light. He was so startled he almost fell over when he heard Eiji suddenly squeal very loudly in sheer delight. The auburn haired guy dashed across the room in his characteristic lightening flash speed over to Oishi's fish tank. Eiji had moved so fast, even the fish did not even have time to scuttle away at the disturbance. He froze in front of them.

"Oishi...they're SO beautiful!" Eiji breathed in a whisper.

"Thank you." Oishi was a little charmed. Few ever saw his fish and no one had ever reacted like..._that_.

Oishi set about getting some clothes and putting things into his bag. He went into the bathroom to get the rest of the things he would need. He was going to show Eiji what he would most likely wear on the date but when he came back he saw his friend still frozen and staring. Eiji's huge smile was reflected in the tank's glass.

Oishi could not help but smile at him, "Would you like to feed them before we go?"

Suddenly Eiji was all action again. "Really? Hoi! What do I do? Show me." Oishi carefully pinched out a tiny bit of food and showed Eiji how.

"Eiji I'm going to run downstairs, real quick, to leave a message for my parents. Will you be all right here?" Eiji without looking at him nodded while still transfixed on the now fish eating. Oishi paused at the door, "Oh, and don't give them any more food, okay?"

Eiji, still smiling, turned to him, "How did you know I was thinking about doing that?"

"Because I know you." Oishi smiled back.

"Oishi," Eiji turned his full focus on him, "you're a really good teacher."

"Thank you." Oishi smiled a little more, "I'll be right back and we can go." Oishi ran downstairs making more noise in his house than he could remember. He made sure his parents had not left any food sitting warming for him, left them a brief message just in case they wondered where he was, and then raced back upstairs. He was worried and knew that if he was gone an instant too long his poor finicky fish would be overfed by Eiji meaning well.

Had Oishi looked into a mirror he would have found himself smiling as he ran by.

* * *

Oishi barely survived dinner at Eiji's home that first time. It seemed to Oishi to be a loud raucous battle more than a meal. The goal seemed to be to eat, talk, and laugh as much as possible with as many people as possible. It was nearly the complete opposite of Oishi's family, but once he got used to the noise level he had to admit, it was pretty fun for organized chaos. Eiji's laid back parents and sisters were totally charmed by handsome, shy, well mannered Oishi. They all mothered him to make sure he got enough to eat and asked him questions about himself, school, tennis, and his family.

The girls all giggled whenever Oishi blushed. Even Eiji's Mother.

Finally, Eiji could no longer stand not being the center of attention any more. "Hoi! We have to go to my room now to study! Right, Oishi?"

Oishi was not very good at lying. "Ano...yes, Eiji. Thank you very much for dinner and for letting me spend the night..." Oishi was still thanking them as Eiji grabbed his wrist and dragged him up the stairs. Eiji showed Oishi some things in his room and they talked about everything and nothing for a bit. Eiji showed Oishi his clothes and together they picked out a plain but nice outfit for Eiji to wear on their double date.

Soon it was time for bed as they had to get up early for practice. However, there was a little problem. Oishi refused to let Eiji give him his bed to sleep on and said he would take the floor. Eiji insisted that they both sleep on the bed or he would sleep on the floor with Oishi. Oishi, feeling tired, finally gave in to both of them sleeping on the bed together. It was a bit tight but more comfortable than the floor. They lay down to sleep, settling in. Oishi lay on his back next to the wall and Eiji lay on his side facing away from Oishi.

Eiji was still trying to argue why his way was best even after he had won. "Its not like its weird or anything Oishi, I mean, you are my best friend."

"Best friend?" Oishi had to ask, "But I thought Fuji is your best friend?"

Yawning and stating it like a known fact to an idiot, "Nya Oishi, Fuji-senpai says I'm his best friend, but I say you're my best friend."

"You say this to Fuji?"

Eiji sat up and looked over at Oishi who saw him by his alarm clock's glow, looking concerned, "Yes. Shouldn't I have? You are my best friend, right? Am I your best friend?"

Oishi thought about it. He would have said a month ago that Tezuka was his best or closest friend but it wasn't like he could ever talk or laugh with Tezuka the way he could with Eiji. He guessed Eiji was right. "Yes Eiji, you're my best friend." He had caught Eiji's earlier yawn and it came out while he said it.

"Yah-hoi!" Eiji spun around in bed, flopping himself down so he laid on his side now facing Oishi on the same pillow. Oishi was worried that Eiji was not sleepy at all, but when he looked over he saw his eyes were closed. Eiji must have felt him looking at him because he said only, "Shhh. Sleep."

Oishi woke up a couple of times during the night a bit uncomfortable in a strange place. Eiji turned and moved a lot in his sleep. Oishi found Eiji hogged the bed space, the pillows, and the blankets. The room lightened as dawn crawled closer, and Oishi saw that Eiji also looked like a little boy when he slept. He could easily imagine him, adorable, at five years old, laughing and causing trouble. A few times Oishi woke up and found Eiji was laying with his head on Oishi's shoulder and his arm or leg or both limbs tossed over Oishi. He slept in the oddest, most twisted up positions. Oishi could not imagine how the strange contortions were possibly comfortable. Oishi finally fell asleep just before dawn with his new best friend's arm and leg tossed over him. His last thought was wondering how anyone, ever, could sleep like that.

When Oishi woke up the next time, Eiji was gone and the morning sun was shining into the room. Eiji's alarm clock started blaring and Oishi shot up trying to figure out how to quickly silence it. He hit snooze somehow but still could not find the off. Eiji came running into the room five seconds later all dressed and ready. He spoke quietly, for Eiji, in a loud whisper and he was frowning,"Nya! I missed getting here before the alarm went off!" He grinned, "Hoi Oishi! Get up and get dressed! I'm going to make breakfast!" He smiled, took the alarm clock out of Oishi's hands, flipped a button, set it down, and dashed out of the room.

10 seconds later he popped back in, "Oishi, go! What's wrong?" Oishi thought for sure it would have been him pushing and prodding Eiji to get up, especially after the contortions the guy slept in the night before. Eiji was full of surprises though.

"You get up early everyday and try to beat your alarm clock?" Oishi heard how tired he was in his voice.

"Hoi! Its lucky! Now go before one of my sisters gets in there!"

Oishi could not let it go, "Why? Why do you try to beat the alarm getting up and ready?"

Eiji looked at him quizzically and said as if he was daft, "Because its lucky!" Then he turned and was gone.

Oishi showered, got dressed, and was downstairs, he would have sworn only fifteen minutes later. No one else was up yet, and the table was full of food. Eiji apparently had made a huge breakfast for both of them. Oishi blinked several times, convinced he was still dreaming. "Eiji, you made all this?"

"Hoi! Now eat!"

"Eiji, you know how to cook? Like this?"

"Hoi, " Eiji said laughing with a mouth full of food, "there is a lot you don't know about your best friend." He gave Oishi a wink and a "V" with his fingers and kept eating.

Oishi was amazed. But while starting to eat he thought about it, he could never remember Eiji being late. Ever. And he had to get all his energy from somewhere, right?

Oishi finished eating while Eiji quickly took care of the plates.

They went out the door and to practice.

* * *

Practice was grueling. Just when everyone thought it was over several people were picked to play against each other. Oishi was picked by chance to play against Eiji.

They had been practicing for a several weeks on their own and they slipped into a familiar rhythm like they did when alone. Eiji started doing his amazing acrobatics, even more than normal at school, the kind he did when it was just the two of them. Eiji must have sensed they had a crowd watching including a few regulars. Oishi was also holding his own. He had learned many of Eiji's weaknesses and discovered that because of the weeks spent pinpointing specific shots and lobs at Eiji so he could practice, Oishi had become much more accurate without even realizing it until then. He could not begin to compete with some of Eiji's more outrageous backwards shots, but when the score was tied Oishi hit a high lob right on the line. It was so high not even Eiji could leap that far. Eiji was still at the net with no hope to catch it, but was thrilled with the shot and told Oishi so. Thus the moon volley was born.

It turned into a good match with a lot of people watching, but Oishi noticed how frustrated Eiji was getting with not being able to return a few of Oishi's more precise shots. Oishi decided to let his friend win the last point and win spectacularly by delivering a combo they had practiced on. Eiji was able to return two of Oishi's shots by turning in midair returning one and then the second before his feet hit the ground. Everyone was in awe. Eiji seemed high on the attention. Oishi was happy.

Tezuka wasn't. He knew Oishi had let Eiji win although Oishi was convinced no one else would know. He was as furious as Tezuka ever showed anyone he got. Oishi only knew he was angry from knowing him so well. Tezuka approached him as Oishi walked off the court and said quietly, "Oishi, how is Kikumaru supposed to improve if you let him win?"

"Tezuka, you saw in such a short time how much he's improved. I've been working with him. He does better when his confidence is higher. I could have probably beat him today but in a month's time who knows?" Oishi shrugged, it wasn't an excuse, it was the truth.

Tezuka considered this. He only replied, "You've improved as well. Keep working with Kikumaru and both of you continue improving."

"Thank you, Tezuka. I will."

Oishi felt his ears burning and thought he had gotten out of danger when a soft, cool voice like a bracing breeze startled him, "Ne, Oishi, why did you let Eiji win? It was a good game until then."

Oishi jumped. "Fuji-senpai...I...I didn't see you there. I didn't. Kikumaru beat me fairly." Oishi knew he was a terrible liar.

"Ah." The tensai sized him up, "You've improved Oishi. You should work on that high lob to get it down every time. Its a nice move."

High praise indeed. "Oh? Thank you, Fuji-senpai."

Oishi was exhausted. He did not think he could take one more person asking him..."Oishi?"

Eiji. And he knew it too. And he looked upset. "Oishi, nya. Why did you let me win?"

"Eiji. I...I'm sorry. I only wanted you to show everyone how much you've worked on and learned the last few weeks. I...I'm sorry."

"Nya. Do you..." he sounded upset and then he sounded angry, "do you think you can beat me?" His eyes flashed dangerously.

"I...I don't know. But...Eiji...I like practicing with you and...I promise I will never do it again." Oishi couldn't look at him. He was looking at the ground when he felt a finger flick with a pop right in between his eyes.

"Hoi! So serious! Nya! Okay, Oishi I'll let you take me to get something to eat to make up for it." Then Eiji smiled, any trace of anger instantly gone.

Oishi followed him into the dressing room and he wondered idly as they headed to the showers if he had just been had.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

After eating, Oishi took Eiji by his favorite pet store where he bought his fish and supplies. He thought Eiji would like to see it. Oishi turned out to be the one surprised when everyone already knew Eiji. He apparently stopped by all the time. He knew all the employees and 'named' all the animals there. Eiji introduced Oishi to all his favorites from the turtles to the puppies.

Oishi bought a bit more food for his fish as he was there. He watched Eiji play with the animals, and had a great time.

They walked outside a little later. The sun was setting and Oishi was going to turn to say goodbye to Eiji.

Before Oishi had a chance to say goodbye, Eiji said, "Hoi, Oishi? Can I sleep over at your house tonight?" He was standing with his hands crossed behind him on the back of his neck and his elbows up in the air. Oishi had learned, usually, that stance meant trouble.

"Why Eiji? I just slept over your house yesterday."

Eiji looked surprised that Oishi did not immediately agree. He took a deep breath and seemed to say his reasoning in a big burst, "Hoi..I...Nya...My sister is having her friend over and she is SO annoying. She is always trying to kiss me. Please? The last time she stayed over she crept into my room while I was sleeping and scared me!" Eiji, ever the comic, had gotten down on his knees on the sidewalk and was begging. "Nya! Please? Please? She's scary!"

"Eiji! Please get up! Eiji!" Oishi was beet red and people were looking.

Eiji saw him embarrassed and was instantly angry, "Nya! Oishi, you're so _mean_!" He got up and turned his back to Oishi. "Forget it! Go home!"

Oishi walked around him to face him and tried to calm him down, "Eiji, its not that I don't want you to, its just...my parents...are away, and they wouldn't know, and..."

Oishi thought about some of the girls who he had gone on dates with. Girls who he had kissed or done more with. Girls who then followed him around even after he stopped dating them. Girls who weeks or months later still called him, still left him notes, still asked him out, or still tried to corner him to talk to him, and more. He imagined if that kind of girl was in his house with his sister overnight, sneaking into his room, and the thought made him shudder in disgust. "Eiji, I'm sorry. I'm...sure...it will be all right. If its okay with your parents. I'll just think of something to tell my parents, all right?" He was rewarded with a swift hug that almost knocked him off his feet.

"Nya, Oishi, you won't get into trouble because of me will you? You can just tell your parents we were studying or something, right?" Eiji was still hugging him and turned to face him looking concerned.

"Sure, Eiji." Oishi took a breath when Eiji let him go from his gripping hug. "We should go by your house first to ask your parents and get your things for our double date with those girls tomorrow. Maybe we can play some tennis in the morning if you want and then go after?"

Eiji gladly agreed and then skipped along the entire way home, seemingly thrilled to get out of his sister's friend's devised tortures.

Oishi along the way started to suspect that there was no sister's friend but when they got there, he was shocked to find Eiji was more than telling the truth. When Eiji opened the door to his room, a girl a bit older than them, was sitting on his bed, apparently waiting for him. Eiji dashed out of the room, past a stunned Oishi, yelling at his sister. He demanded that his sister remove her friend. Now! Somehow in the ensuing chaos, Eiji crammed some things into his bag including his clothes for the next day. He told his sister to tell their mom that he was staying at Oishi's. They left while his sister was still trying to reason with her friend to get out of his room and leave him alone.

Eiji said nothing on the way over to Oishi's. When Oishi would ask him questions or try to start a conversation, he would answer with a grunt or a shrug so Oishi backed off and gave him some space. Once there, Eiji followed Oishi into the house and into the kitchen. Oishi asked him if he was hungry and got a shrug in response. Oishi started getting out the food his Mom had left while Eiji leaned up against a counter watching. Oishi was thinking frantically of what to do or say, when Eiji asked if he could help with the cooking. Oishi agreed, feeling a little relieved.

Eiji eventually started a running dialog while taking over all the cooking, saying what he would make and how to make this better or that better. There was plenty for two to begin with but Eiji transformed a bland dinner into a near feast. Oishi, who was used to only reheating things, was really impressed and told Eiji so. Eiji smiled for the first time in a while. Oishi set the table while Eiji finished. Oishi told Eiji how good everything was and he again smiled but still seemed distracted.

After eating, Oishi decided to try to talk to Eiji about whatever was bothering him. Before he had a chance, Eiji asked Oishi if he could take a bath and get ready for bed. It was very early, but Oishi helped show him where everything was. Oishi was very worried about what was upsetting Eiji. He wondered too if he should get out the spare futon or if Eiji would want to share his bed like they did the night before at his house. He was still wondering what to do when he heard Eiji calling him from the bathroom.

Oishi's first thought was that something was wrong. Maybe Eiji was sick or fell so Oishi ran into the room. There were slopped bubbles and water all over the floor. Eiji must have found his sister's bubble bath and poured a ton of it in. "Hoi Oishi! I need some more towels for the floor!" he laughed at the mess he had made. Oishi relaxed and laughed. He threw down some towels, figuring he would have to wash them all before his parents came home.

"Hoi, Oishi, get into the bath with me!"

"Eiji theres no room for two people in the bathtub."

"Yes there is, come on! If you do I'll tell you a secret!"

"What secret?"

"Nya! Have to get into the bath first! And I have two secrets! Please Oishi?" Oishi sighed knowing he would lose, he started to undress, and then felt like maybe he should wear his underwear. In the bath. Which felt silly. So he hesitated with his arms crossed, halfway between pulling off his shirt. Eiji stuck his head around the curtain to look at what was taking him so long. He was covered in suds and looked like a western Santa Claus with a beard of bubbles. Oishi couldn't help but laugh and then stripped.

It took some doing for them both to fit in the bathtub after all and not lay on top of each other. Then it took a bit more for the water not to go everywhere, but eventually they were both in, facing each other with Eiji's legs having to rest on top of Oishi's a little. The bubbles smelled like oranges and some spice. The warm water did feel good to Oishi after such a hard practice, and also from sleeping last night in Eiji's cramped, unfamiliar bed with Eiji throwing his limbs everywhere. Oishi noticed Eiji had even more scrapes and bruises after practice so he must have really gone all out. Knowing if he said anything Eiji would be annoyed, and not wanting to upset him more, Oishi let it go for now. He sighed and leaned back as much as he could in the water and the bubbles, trying to unwind.

Eiji must have been watching for Oishi to relax. "Hoi. First secret is about Oishi."

"What about me?"

"Fuji-senpai says Oishi will make regulars next rankings." Rankings matches were held once a month. All the juniors and senior tennis club members played in groups against each other. If you beat everyone in your group with no or only one loss, you would win a coveted regular position and compete for the team in tournaments. Everyone tried but few ever made it to the top eight positions.

"How would Fuji know?"

Eiji was solemn as he said, "Fuji-senpai knows."

Oishi did not even want to get into that so he asked, "Second secret?"

The humor was gone from his friend's eyes suddenly and he stopped smiling. He looked upset. It was such an odd look on his usually happy, smiling friend that Oishi was alarmed at the transformation.

"Is Oishi my best friend?" Eiji said quietly.

"Yes."

"Am I Oishi's best friend?"

"Yes. Now what is it? Tell me what's wrong? Please."

"I...I...you won't ever tell anyone? No matter what? Do you promise?"

"Of course. I promise. So tell me..."

A long pause followed. Eiji looked down and would not meet Oishi's eyes. Oishi was about to ask him again to please tell him but then in a little voice Kikumaru said, "I don't think I can go on the double date tomorrow."

"Why? Why not? Eiji?"

Eiji stood up, grabbed a dry towel, and said only, "I'm cold, you finish your bath."

"Eiji! That's not fair--you told me you'd tell me if I got in the bathtub! Eiji!" But Eiji was gone and Oishi heard the door to his room close.

Oishi sat in the bathtub for a few minutes annoyed and frustrated until his worries started to get the best of him. Maybe Eiji was hurt or scared. Maybe it was something worse. Something Eiji was too afraid to tell, even to him, maybe he was in trouble.

Oishi got out of the bathtub and dried off, unable to relax anymore. He went to his room, with a towel wrapped around him, knocking first, only to find Eiji staring at his glowing aquarium. Eiji stood there with his hands in fists, pouting in the dark, with just a towel still around him. Oishi turned on the room light and Eiji did not move. Oishi put on his sleep clothes, a pair of soft pajamas, and told Eiji he would go clean the towels they had used. He figured he would give Eiji some time to settle his thoughts and then Oishi would talk to him.

Oishi cleaned the bathroom floor of any water, cleaned the bathtub, started the wash, and went back to his room. Eiji had put on his pajamas and was sitting on the bed, but he looked as if he had been sitting with his thoughts for a long while, staring out at nothing.

Oishi sat down next to him. "Eiji, please tell me. Whatever it is...is it something I did?"

Eiji would not look at him. He took a big breath and said quietly, "Nya. Oishi, I can't go on a date because I've...I've never...I've never kissed a girl."

Oishi nearly laughed picturing all the horrific scenes he has seen in his mind and it turns out to be something...so...silly, but he stopped himself in time. This was obviously a big deal to Eiji, so he sat next to him and said gently, "Eiji, I see you kiss and hug people all the time in school."

"Nya! That is friends! That is hello! That is...different! And I asked Fuji-senpai what to do and he told me to ask you. He said that you are my best friend and you are the best at kissing in our school."

"ME!" It was a good thing Oishi was sitting down. "What? So Fuji knows about this too?"

"No!" Wailed Eiji miserably, turning and throwing himself face down on the bed, "Nya! I told Fuji-senpai I wasn't good at it, I never told him I never did it!" Came the muffled reply.

"Why did Fuji say I was the best at kissing?" Oishi was still stuck on that.

"Nya! Oishi everyone knows that! All the girls say it too!"

Oishi was blushing crimson and very glad Eiji was not looking at him.

"Oishi," Eiji suddenly looked up at him, "you're a good teacher and everyone says you are the best at kissing. Please teach me how to kiss! I want to go on the date! Please?"

"I...I...Eiji, I don't think I can teach that."

"Why not! If you're good at something you should be able to teach it!"

"I'm good at kissing because I enjoy kissing, it happens naturally, but its not something like tennis that you learn how to do!"

Eiji was quiet for a moment, he looked at Oishi. "Hoi? Were you good at kissing your first time or is it something you are better at now? With practice?" Eiji said it slyly with his chin tilted up, and his eyes flashing, daring Oishi to dispute his logic.

Oishi thought back to his first kissing attempt and inwardly cringed. He was not good the first time. The girl was older, patient, and showed him how to kiss. Over time he got better. Eiji was right. Practice.

Oishi sighed.

The first time Oishi tried to show him he gave them each a pillow. He had Eiji mirror his body with the pillow but it was not working well because Eiji kept protesting he could not see what Oishi's lips and mouth were doing.

Eiji sitting next to him, threw himself on to Oishi's lap and put his arms around him. "Show me how?"

"Eiji...I..."

"Please Oishi, show me?"

"All right. I...I'll show you one time so pay attention. And you'd better not tell anyone, ever."

"Not even Fuji-senpai?"

"Especially not Fuji! This is something that is just...just...just between best friends. No one...ever...agreed?"

"Yes Sensei." He said it meaning teacher, or expert. Eiji said with a straight face although Oishi knew he was kidding.

"Don't do that! Now you," Oishi sighed and thought about where to start, "you are going to be the girl, and I...I'll be the guy and be kissing you. Turn to face me."

Eiji moved to face him and Oishi wondered why this was making his heart pound. Eiji kissed people hello and goodbye all the time. Well not Oishi, but others all the time. This was nothing. It meant nothing. He was just going to show him how. It was nothing.

"All right, its best if you take her face in your hand like this the first time." Oishi gently rested his right hand on the side of Eiji's face just below his jaw with his thumb on his cheek. Oishi could not believe he was doing this. Eiji went to move his hand to Oishi's face and Oishi said, "No, you be the girl and just learn, all right?"

"Why do you hold her face?" Eiji cocked his head a little to the side pondering this.

"Because it keeps you from bumping noses or chins or teeth." Oishi said dismissively. Eiji looked horrified at this. "Its okay, its easy, its fun." Oishi placated him, trying not to laugh at his expression. "So, you hold her face like this and move in to kiss her, like a hello kiss, only softer." Oishi leaned in to kiss Eiji when Eiji suddenly exploded in peals of laughter.

"Well fine! If you don't want to learn...!"

"Oishi! Nya, sorry, I'm sorry, I...I just got nervous. I want to learn. Really. Please. Nya. I'm sorry. Isn't it better if I get nervous and laugh now than on the date?" Eiji stilled his laughter, picked up Oishi's hand and put it back on his face with a serious look. "I'm ready."

Which made Oishi for some reason crack up laughing. "Oishi! Stop it! Nya! Don't laugh at me! You're being mean!"

It took both of them a couple of minutes to calm down and not laugh but they finally did.

Oishi put his hand again on Eiji's face. He felt his heart beating a little harder again.

"All right, now you gently press your lips like this..." Oishi closed his eyes and pressed his lips onto Eiji's soft, warm mouth. He could feel how tense his friend was and thought to himself what he does when a girl is this tense is put his other arm around her like this, and did so. Eiji started to relax into the embrace and the kiss. Oishi pulled a little back so he could further instruct Eiji but his friend moved in more so the contact was not broken.

They both moved closer into the kiss and Oishi felt Eiji's lips relax and part. Oishi gently put his tongue onto Eiji's lips and then a little further into Eiji's mouth until their tongues were touching. He gently started touching and licking Eiji's tongue with his own until his friend understood to do the same. He started exploring Eiji's mouth while Eiji started exploring his. Oishi heard his friends breathing beginning to get heavier as he noticed his own was also. As their tongues gently slid against each other and their lips pressed, Eiji moaned a little purr in his throat and Oishi noticed at some point Eiji's strong arms had locked around him as his had wrapped around Eiji.

Oishi thought he should pull away but he didn't want to. He couldn't even find his voice and if they had not started off sitting, now somehow lying down, Oishi was aware that his knees would not have held him up. As it was, Eiji broke the kiss. "That's kissing?" His friend's voice had an unfamiliar gruffness to it.

"Pretty much." Oishi's voice was rough too. They were still entwined, neither one wanting to move just yet.

"Oishi, let me kiss you this time so I know how." Eiji said quietly, smiling. Before Oishi could get control of his senses back, his friend was softly on his lips again. Eiji's tongue dipped into Oishi's mouth like honey. His taste, Oishi now noticed, was sweet, and he must have used a kid's flavored toothpaste. They lay on their sides kissing for a long time. Neither one wanting to end the moment or break the kiss.

"Eiji," Oishi said gently, "you don't want to go in one circle all the time or kiss so hard. Its more like this..." Oishi rolled them both over so Oishi lay on top where he had more control. He lowered his head down and his mouth met Eiji's ready one. With their lips touching, he put his tongue lightly into Eiji's mouth and started teasing him with its touch, really playing with him, really kissing him.

Eiji kept putting his tongue further into Oishi's mouth trying to keep their tongues touching. Oishi would just barely touch Eiji's tongue and then pull away. Finally he gave Eiji his tongue and Eiji sighed in pleasure. He let Eiji explore his mouth for a while and then started to tease him again. He nibbled and licked at Eiji's lips. He slid his tongue over Eiji's teeth, touched his full soft lips, tasted his mouth. When Eiji really responded, he lightly would touch his tongue to Eiji's and then would pull away, making Eiji dip his tongue further into Oishi's mouth. When Eiji put his tongue deeper into Oishi's mouth trying to keep their tongues touching, Oishi sucked on Eiji's tongue gently and Eiji moaned in response.

The moan went through Oishi unlike anything he had felt with another person before, and he smiled. Eiji smiled back and said softly, "Let me try..." He rolled Oishi back onto their sides. Eiji started to tease Oishi just like he was teased while rubbing Oishi's back with his strong, tennis callused hands that he had slid up Oishi's shirt. Touching his bare skin. Oishi found he had also lifted Eiji's shirt to feel his soft skin pulled tight over his muscled back while they kissed. Oishi heard Eiji give another moan as Oishi again gently sucked on his tongue. Eiji lifted both their shirts so that the skin on their chests and muscled stomachs were touching, and now it was Oishi's turn to moan softly at the skin on skin contact as they kissed.

Eiji had wrapped his strong legs around Oishi's. They had moved while kissing so that Oishi was on top again. He took control of the kiss back by moving his hand up along Eiji's back and into his hair that was still damp from their bath. Now when Eiji tried to tease him, he couldn't move away as well. Oishi's hand running through Eiji's hair seemed to give Eiji a shiver of pleasure that Oishi felt go right through him too. Oishi was fully erect now. He was so hard. He couldn't remember ever being this hard. He tried to move a bit over so his obvious erection was not pressing into Eiji. That little bit of moving is when he discovered that Eiji was fully hard also. Fully hard and pressing now right up against Oishi's erection. It was all Oishi could do to not grind up against Eiji and his hard erection until he came.

So Oishi stopped. He let go of Eiji gently and turned away. He sat up to clear his head and get away from the temptation warmly facing him.

"Oishi? Did I do something wrong?"

Oishi didn't trust his voice. He shook his head no.

"Oishi?" Eiji half sat up.

"No Eiji. I'm just..." _I just don't want to stop and I really think we should._ "I'm just a bit, tired. Its been a long day." It sounded like a lie even to Oishi.

"Oishi? Do I kiss all right?" He sounded worried.

Oishi turned to face him. He was positive that Eiji's head cocked to the side looking cute and vulnerable was an act but it was familiar ground for them both, so Oishi clung to it. "You kiss..." _amazing, I am so turned on I can barely speak_, "good Eiji, though..."

"Hoi! What? What? Tell me!"

"You probably should not go that far with your date tomorrow. Maybe just the first part where you hold her face, all right?" Oishi smiled at him.

Eiji seemed to think about it for a few seconds and then winked at Oishi making a "V" with his fingers.

"Oishi, can I sleep next to you again tonight?" At this Eiji truly looked vulnerable. As if he was afraid that what Oishi was really doing was rejecting him.

"Of course. " Oishi said and moved to ruffle Eiji's hair.

"Nya! Oishi, not the hair!"

Oishi was so turned on he thought of going to the bathroom to relieve the pressure, but he could think of no way to explain his absence to Eiji. So he tried to put it out of his head. Oishi turned out the main light but left the aquarium low light on. Both he and Eiji put the pillows back onto the bed and climbed under the comforter. Oishi lay on his side facing away from Eiji and Eiji lay on his back. Oishi was glad his bed was a little bigger than Eiji's but was still very aware of his friend lying right there, still amazing at kissing, and still, most likely, just as turned on and as hard as Oishi was. This kind of hard Oishi discovered came with an ache.

Oishi wasn't lying entirely when he said he was tired. He was exhausted between little sleep the night before and the practice today. Too tired for him to even worry about any implications over what just happened. He listened to Eiji's soft rhythmic breathing and tried to match it to relax and sleep. Eiji rolled onto his side so now they were back to back. Oishi waited a few minutes and then rolled onto his back, his favorite sleeping position.

He must have fallen asleep. He woke to find Eiji was on his side facing him with his head on Oishi's shoulder. Eiji had thrown his leg and arm over Oishi and Oishi found his arm around Eiji. His shoulder and arm felt dead asleep so he rolled a little onto his side, slowly facing Eiji to relieve the numbness, only to be rewarded with pins and needles of pain.

Eiji at some point in the night had taken off his shirt and Oishi's hand now lay across the naked skin of his friend's back. Oishi had an absurd impulse to run his hand over the soft skin. To feel the muscles of his back. To feel him. The only noises were their breathing, his aquarium filter, and the pounding of Oishi's heart. The aquarium light was giving off a soft, peaceful glow that made Eiji's skin look surreal. Eiji snuggled in his sleep closer to him and Oishi had to resist a daft impulse to brush his lips across his sleeping friend's forehead. Across his lips.

Oishi then slowly rolled Eiji all the way over onto his back. He waited a moment to make sure Eiji did not wake up and then gently pulled out his arm. He rolled onto his side facing away from Eiji so he would not be tempted any more.

He woke up a little later, sweating, with Eiji shaking him awake. "Oishi? Hoi Oishi? You're having a bad dream. Oishi?" Oishi startled awake. Then was instantly frustrated because he wasn't having a bad dream, he was having a good dream, a very good dream, one in which he almost came. He could clearly remember every sensuous detail and he was fully erect, again. To the point of throbbing, again. Now he was completely embarrassed as well.

Eiji was still soothing him, "Nya. Its all right Oishi, it was just a dream. I'm going to get some water, do you want some?"

Oishi nodded and looked at his clock reflected backwards in his aquarium. It was 1:46 am. There were hours to go before dawn. Oishi took a deep breath and tried to slow his heartbeat which was racing.

Eiji came back and sat on the side of the bed. Eiji had put his shirt back on Oishi noticed, as Oishi tossed his off himself, still feeling too warm. "Hoi. Water." Eiji said holding out a glass. Oishi sat up a bit more and drank obediently. "Hot towel for your face." Oishi allowed Eiji to wipe his face. "Better?" Eiji looked concerned.

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry I woke you." Oishi said and lay down on his back.

"What were you dreaming?" Eiji put the cloth and the glass down on the nightstand and lay on his side looking at Oishi.

"I don't remember." There was a long silence after Oishi lied.

Eiji was quiet a long time facing him. Several minutes ticked by. Oishi looked up at his ceiling not knowing what to say. He had a feeling Eiji was watching him but didn't want to turn to see. "Oishi?"

"Mn?"_ I just won't look at him and then I won't be tempted or find myself stupidly looking at Eiji's mouth._

"Nya. I...I can't sleep." Eiji paused, "I...can't stop wanting to kiss you more. Are you thinking about it too?"

"Yes." Oishi heard himself say. He had said it without thinking and his voice sounded hoarse, husky. He half turned still not meeting Eiji's eyes, determined not to look at his mouth.

"Oishi...kiss me...a little more...please...and then we both can go to sleep." Eiji said it softly, but he said it.

_What? Was Eiji asking him to do what he thought he was? No way. Not possible._ Oishi's heart started to pound again and he swore his erection was throbbing in response. "Eiji, I...I don't think we should."

"Oishi," Eiji sounded as frustrated as Oishi felt, "we're best friends. I won't tell. Please."

"Eiji, I..."

"Nya. If you don't want to...then...then will you kiss me so _I_ can? _Please_?" His last word came out in nearly a whimper. Something about Eiji asking that, asking permission, nearly begging, wanting Oishi to kiss him again that much nearly made Oishi agree. Very nearly.

"Please?" Eiji licked Oishi's strong shoulder, long and slow, and their eyes finally met. Oishi never knew a shoulder being licked could be_ that_ much of a turn on.

"Please?" He whispered kissing just below Oishi's ear.

"Please?" He licked Oishi's earlobe with his tongue, and nibbled softly.

"Please?" He said quietly kissing his way down Oishi's neck.

"Please?" He kissed and licked at Oishi's collarbone and lay back down watching him.

"Please?" He said softly and picked up Oishi's right hand from where it lay folded on the blanket over his stomach. Eiji brought it over to his mouth. He kissed and nibbled on each of Oishi's fingertips starting with his littlest finger. He took each one in turn further and further into his warm, wet mouth and across his soft, full lips. Then Eiji took Oishi's thumb all the way into his mouth sucking gently, running his tongue over it like it was Oishi's tongue, and then he positioned Oishi's now wet hand back on his face just as Oishi had started off hours before.

"_Please_?" Eiji's words sounded husky and raw with need and want as he lay inches away from Oishi, watching and waiting. Oishi's heart was pounding so hard that he was sure Eiji must be able to hear it clearly too.

"Please, what?" Oishi rolled on his side so they were facing each other. They looked at each other, their eyes locked, daring each other.

"Please kiss me, Oishi. Kiss me."

Oishi softly moaned at the sound, at his words. He rolled on top of Eiji as Eiji rolled onto his back to accommodate him. Oishi kissed Eiji's soft lips. Eiji's kiss was now hungry and there were no more gentle teasings. Oishi kissed him back just as hard, with just as much want. His tongue claimed Eiji's mouth. Eiji pulled up at his own shirt which was soon off, thrown across the room. When Oishi felt the skin on his chest and stomach touch Eiji's he moaned softly again. Eiji then wrapped his legs around Oishi's. It was all instinct and it all felt very natural, very right, and so very good.

Oishi kept kissing Eiji deep and hard as he moved to press his erection again against Eiji's. He slid his hips slowly so that his hard length, through their pants, slid against his friend's. The unbelievable friction made them both moan into each other's mouths.

He felt Eiji's strong hands slide down his back, to Oishi's hips, his fingers digging in, demanding more. Oishi raised himself up onto his forearms, wrapping his hands around Eiji's shoulders. Oishi started slowly, rhythmically, rubbing them against each other, concentrating on rubbing as much as he could of their hard insistent erections together through their thin clothes while covering Eiji's hot greedy mouth with kisses.

"Like this?" Oishi asked kissing Eiji's mouth, his neck, his face, waiting for him to answer as he moved against him.

"Yeah...Oishi...Oh...Don't stop..." Eiji sought Oishi's mouth and when he found it he moaned again in a hot demanding kiss while the rhythm of their grinding increased. Eiji started moving with him, rocking his hips up while Oishi pressed and thrust down making it even more intense.

Oishi could feel his friend was so close to coming, he could hear the sounds of his pleasure, his little whimpering moans, the touch of his skin, his mouth, his hands, taste him, feel him, and was then deliciously lost.

"Ah...Eiji..."

"Oishi!"

They both bucked and thrust, Eiji up and Oishi down, against the other, coming at the same time, coming together, moaning into each others mouth, shuddering at the pleasure that ripped through them both.

They lay locked together for a long time, still breathing hard. Sticky, sweaty, spent, Oishi could feel both his and Eiji's hearts still pounding and they were both trembling slightly with little aftershocks. Oishi gently gave Eiji a soft kiss on his lips and turned his head to hug him. He brought his arms around Eiji's back. Eiji at the same time embraced Oishi back.

Oishi, not wanting to crush Eiji, rolled the both of them more on their sides, not breaking the embrace. They moved a little apart but kept their arms and legs around each other. They were each lost in their own thoughts and looking towards each other but not at anything. Oishi noticed in the soft light that Eiji was smiling slightly. Oishi realized he probably had the same expression on his face.

"Eiji?" Oishi said softly after a while. Eiji met his eyes. "Are you okay?" Oishi smiled a little more at him. He wanted to let his best friend know it was all right even if he was no longer quite so certain of it anymore.

Eiji smiled a little more back and gave a little purr. "Hmm. You?"

"Mmm." Oishi smiled back. Then Oishi noticed that both of them were soaked in their semen that was rapidly growing cold. "Oh...do you want to go, clean up?"

"Nnnn. Tired." Eiji leaned in closer to give Oishi a series of soft, light, sweet kisses while still smiling. He held him a little tighter.

Oishi returned the kisses without thinking, enjoying them, and he realized then he was also terribly exhausted.

"G' night Oishi." Eiji said giving him one more kiss.

"G' night Eiji." Oishi returned the kiss.

* * *

Some hours later, the morning sun is streaming into the room, Eiji is shaking Oishi awake out of a dead, deep sleep. Eiji is laughing hysterically.

They are still laying together, wrapped in each other's arms.

"Oishi!...Wake up!...Hoi Oishi!...Wake up!...Hurry Oishi!...Nya!...We're stuck!"

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! As always, many more chapters up on my livejournal and on aff.n ;)

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

The day of the date went fine. Probably because both friends were pretending like the night before never happened. Well, that is, after they unglued themselves.

Oishi was at first mortified but Eiji made him laugh enough so that it was okay. Nothing weird happened after that, much to Oishi's relief.

Oishi finished the laundry. Eiji made breakfast. They cleaned up, then played a computer game, and talked about what movie they might see. They weren't meeting the girls until three and it was only around ten in the morning so they went to play some tennis. They played one game against each other when some guys older guys there asked them to play doubles. They lost the first game but then won the rest of them. They played against each other a bit more Oishi working on his Moon Volley and Eiji racing and leaping to catch it.

Before they knew it, it was after 1:30 and they had to race back to Oishi's to be ready in time. They each showered, dressed, and had to practically run to be there on time despite Eiji not being happy with his hair using Oishi's shampoo. They met the girls. Oishi was disappointed that the girl who had been calling him, Kiko, was not as pretty as he remembered. She was kind of plain and like many of the women he had dated, seemed to be a little too into Oishi without really knowing him.

Kiko seemed nice though, and so did her best friend Kiku. They could have been twins. Eiji charmed both of them immediately, first making jokes out of their similar names, and then finding out that they collected things his sisters liked. In just under ten minutes Oishi had already run out of things to say or talk about so he was very glad Eiji was there. They had not decided on a movie yet, and were discussing it when Kiko asked Oishi if he had another friend that could join them.

Kiko explained that her cousin from America, Eve, had just moved here and was living with Kiko and Eve's grandparents. Eve would be attending Seigaku and would be in their grade as a matter of fact. Kiko thought it would be nice if Eve met some people before starting a new school. Eiji overheard and immediately suggested Fuji. Oishi agreed and Eiji went to call the tensai. Kiko went to call her cousin.

Oishi thought this was working out quite well as he was not really interested in Kiko. While Kiko was giving Eve directions on how to meet them and where, Kiku pulled Oishi aside. She told Oishi to warn his friend Fuji to watch out for Eve. Kiko told Kiku that Eve had been in serious trouble. She was very wild when it came to partying and guys and had been thrown out of her school in America. As a last resort her parents sent her to live with her grandparents hoping that in a stricter environment the girl could get her life together.

Fuji agreed to meet them and arrived first. After he arrived, the boys went over to buy the movie tickets for the film the girls wanted to see, while the girls waited for Eve. Eiji was telling Fuji about his sister's crazy friend and that he spent the night at Oishi's.

"Ah," the tensai said in his velvet voice," that explains it."

"Hoi?"

"Yes, you both look a bit tired. Were you up late?"

At the same time Eiji said, "Nya. We got up early!"

And Oishi said, "We were up late!" Oishi felt his face turning scarlet.

"Which?" Fuji asked smiling.

"Both Fuji-senpai." Eiji jumped in and finished with, "And we played tennis all day today before we came here."

Eiji rambled on about their day and Oishi breathed a sigh of relief. Or did he? He felt close to Eiji but still prayed that he still would not say anything by accident or otherwise. Oishi was all for keeping busy and having this entire situation be over as soon as possible. Things with him and Eiji did not seem any different but Oishi too well remembered the sounds of them moaning as they came and the feel of Eiji's hungry, hot, mouth against his. He shook his head from his momentary reverie to hear Fuji ask Eiji quietly: "Ne...Eiji, did Oishi teach you what you wanted to learn?"

Oishi felt his face flush again but it was his turn in line so he did not hear the response Eiji gave the tensai. He bought the tickets with his heart pounding and walked back to where his friends were waiting, dreading every step back. He was saved from any further humiliation by the arrival of the girls with Eve.

Eve was a beautiful girl and she knew it. Actually on second glance, she looked like much older than any of the girls in his school. She looked 18 or older. Eve had long blond hair and was very tan. She was dressed in a very short skirt and a half shirt that fit her overly endowed chest like a glove. She wore high little heels that clacked as she walked and a lot of makeup for the day. Oishi didn't really like girls who wore much makeup or who tried too hard to get guys to notice them. She was pretty but overall it was too much. He was not sure if what Kiku told him was the truth or if they were just very jealous of the girl. By the looks Kiko and Kiku were giving Eve, he guessed it was probably more the latter.

The one thing the girls did not mention was that Eve spoke very poor Japanese. Fuji within a minute noticed this and said smoothly in very good English, "Eve, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to help me with my English accent? Would it be all right with you if we talk in English tonight so I can learn from you?"

"Oh, sure, I guess," Eve said with a cool appraising eye, "but I gotta tell you, you have a really heavy accent. I may not be able to understand what you're saying."

"I would really appreciate it, Eve. Thank you." Fuji lead the girl inside, asking her questions about herself. Oishi and Kiko, Eiji and Kiku, followed in pairs. They bought snacks for the girls and themselves and then they all went to take their seats.

In the theater, Kiko and Kiku wanted to sit next to each other with Oishi and Eiji on the outside. Oishi suspected Eiji wanted to sit near him or near Fuji but Fuji sat next to Oishi with Eve on his other side. Both girls seemed to prefer to talk to each other and Eiji rather than Oishi, although Kiko once the lights went down said softly brushing Oishi's arm, "Thank you Oishi-kun. I'm glad your friend was able to come also and make Eve feel welcome. You're so nice." She leaned against Oishi although she kept talking mostly to her friend throughout the previews.

Oishi didn't see much of the film because about 2 minutes into it Fuji leaned over very close and whispered into Oishi's ear, "Ne...Oishi, I hear you have been teaching Eiji a few new things."

Oishi turned to look in terror at Fuji. The tensai's face was calm and smiling. He was still looking towards the screen. Oishi turned to look back as well and tried to say casually. "Oh?"

"Mmmm." It sounded like Fuji was purring to Oishi's alarm. Fuji leaned over closer to Oishi so that his lips were just millimeters away from Oishi's earlobe (the same earlobe Eiji had nibbled the night before!). To Oishi's horror Fuji said softly, so softly that his voice was only a silky whisper that only Oishi could hear, "Maybe I could use some lessons Oishi-kun? Eiji said he was getting _very _good."

Oishi just sat there and felt his palms sweating and his heart pounding. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and a sinking nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. The only good thing about the situation, the one and only thing, was that the theater was mostly dark. He was blushing furiously and completely mortified. He could not even think about how Eiji could _DO _this to him when he _PROMISED_...

Fuji, who was still by his ear, just kept breathing softly, tickling the little hairs there. He said, "So Oishi-kun, when will you teach me? Because, I'd _really _like to learn..." Fuji paused and took a breath. Oishi felt it on his sensitive ear.

Just when Oishi was seriously considering jumping up and running out of the theater, Fuji finished with, "How long do you think it would take _me _to learn...the Moon Volley?" Oishi froze. While Fuji continued, "Ne, its a great move and Kikumaru said you do it very well. He said you're a _wonderful_ teacher..."

_Moon Volley? That's ALL!_

Oishi turned to look at the leaning so close to him (now more than close enough to kiss) tensai who had traded in his characteristic benevolent smile for an evil grin. The tensai's bottomless dark blue eyes were fixed on Oishi's and Fuji's smile deepened like a predator assessing his prey.

Oishi realized his own eyes must have mirrored only utter abject fright and confusion while the look on his face was probably one of pure horror. Finally Oishi found his voice, remembered to breathe, relax, look back at the screen, and stammered a whisper back, "Fuji-senpai, I would be, honored, to teach you, anything, anytime, you would like..." Oishi tried to keep his breathing steady and watch the movie, or at least look like he was.

Fuji leaned back to his ear and said, "Mmn. Thank you Oishi-kun, I just may take you up on that _most _generous offer someday..." He whispered it sounding like he was purring. As if he was enjoying this.

The tensai kept smiling maliciously as if waiting for Oishi to say something more, or maybe even to confess something, Oishi wondered panicking. When Oishi continued to stare ahead at the film and not respond, Fuji then slowly turned away from Oishi and back to the film and Eve. He seemed almost disappointed that Oishi wasn't going to stammer and squirm anymore. Oishi saw out of the corner of his eye the tensai was still grinning wickedly though, still looking dangerous.

Oishi fought to keep from putting his head into his hands in worry. Just then, Kiko leaned to him and said, "Oishi-kun, what did your friend ask you? I heard him say something about Kikumaru-kun?"

Oh god. "It was...it was nothing, it was just about...tennis."

"Oh." Kiko leaned in a little closer, "Do you think I look nice Oishi-kun? I bought this outfit just for you and our date today."

"I...Yes. Very...nice." Oishi could not remember anything about her in the dark theater. He didn't even remember what she was wearing. He couldn't even remember the color of her eyes.

Oishi never noticed a second of the movie after that. Only that his date had put her small cold hand into his at some point and said disgustedly, "Oishi-kun, your hands are all rough!"

"Sorry," Oishi tried very hard not to think about Eiji's rough hands, "its from playing tennis."

Kiko turned and whispered to her friend a moment then turned back to Oishi and said, "Kiku says Kikumaru-kun's hands are all rough too." Oishi almost closed his eyes. Almost. In the dark theater he kept thinking about last night knowing it wasn't the time or the place. Kiko asked him to put her arm around her because she was cold. Oishi did.

"Oishi-kun I _really_ like you." She whispered to him settling closer to him. "I've been thinking about you a lot since we met. Do you think about me? Do you like me?"

Breathe he kept saying to himself. Breathe. "Sure. I...I enjoy talking with you." Oishi could not find another thing to say. This was all going so different from how he had planned. Maybe if he could just somehow talk with Eiji and make sure he never said anything to Fuji, even by accident, then he could relax. But how was he going to get Eiji two seats away to talk to him. That was no good. What was he going to do?

Kiko leaned into him a little more. She seemed so tiny and frail after Eiji's strong shoulders. "Oishi-kun, will you, kiss me? Please?"

Oishi was going to say no, not here, maybe later, and turned sideways to face his date a little more. He was trying to think of a reason why not here or find something to say to her when he noticed behind his date who was turned sideways to face him he could just see Kiku and Eiji. They were obviously kissing. Eiji didn't even _know _her. She was a girl Eiji had just _met_!

So Oishi realized he was, most likely, all worried about nothing.

Eiji apparently had no problem with what happened. He was kissing Kiku and they seemed to be doing just fine. In fact they seemed to be really into it.

He could see Eiji's hands on the dark sweater of Kiku's back like they had been on Oishi's back the night before. Oishi stopped looking. He had to stop looking at that point. So Oishi put his hand on Kiko's smiling, delighted face and leaned in to kiss her.

It did not help that Kiko was terrible at kissing. Not at all.

Kiko met his kiss with an eager wide open mouth like a gasping fish. Her tiny bowed mouth now loomed huge to Oishi. It felt like she licked his chin and then stuck her tongue into his mouth. Then she went in broad sloppy wet strokes in a big circle counter-clockwise like her tongue was running laps in his mouth. She must have had an odd mint in her mouth before kissing him because she tasted like medicine or antiseptic mouthwash that stung. It actually burned a little. She was pinching the muscles on Oishi's arms as she leaned into kiss him more with her cold hands and it was almost as if she knew every spot where he was sore from tennis and aimed for them. She leaned more into him and was practically in his lap.

Oddly enough, Oishi remembered there was another girl a while back who kissed him nearly the same way. He couldn't remember her name. He found that he almost laughed out loud and fought to suppress it. He thought to himself that if he had let the bubble of laughter come out he would not be surprised if it sounded a little hysterical.

Just when he thought it was probably the worst kiss on the worst date he had ever had and things could not possibly get any worse, the scene on the movie changed to a bright day shot. The theater was much lighter now that his eyes were used to the dark. Kiko put her arms around him drawing him closer. Oishi was just trying to keep his tongue away from hers because it tasted so terrible. Oishi found he was looking again past Kiko over to see what Eiji was doing.

Behind Kiko and Kiku he could just see Eiji's eyes looking back at him. Oishi was not even aware that he was looking at Eiji again until his eyes and Eiji's eyes met. And locked. Oishi felt totally strange. This was weird. Too weird. Oishi broke the kiss with Kiko off telling her he wanted to see the rest of the movie and sat there with his arm around her for a long time, trapped, and trying to resist the urge to wipe his mouth that felt stinging, wet, sticky, and tasted gross.

Kiko seemed to be fine for a while and then to Oishi's new horror, started snaking her hand towards Oishi's lap. He could clearly see her pale white hand slithering across his dark pants further and further creeping slowly towards his crotch. She started maneuvering her mouth towards him again. And she had put a fresh foul mint thing in her mouth like she was going to kiss him again. "Oishi-kun?" She said it softly. He pretended he didn't hear her and wished it was all over.

She put her hand on his crotch and found nothing. He was soft. Oishi was not even remotely turned on. He froze at her touch there.

He was mortified knowing Fuji could probably see and would watch. Oishi felt bad for some odd reason that he was not hard. Not even a little bit even with her touching there.

Kiko started pressing her hand in, digging her fingers in like she did to his arms, and moving around tracing his outline as if she was looking for some reaction. As if she expected him to not be able to resist her.

He withdrew his arm from around her back and took her hand away. He moved it back to their shared armrest holding her hand lightly trying not to touch any of his calluses, which she made a face at before, to her cold skin. He tried to pull himself slowly farther away in his seat, away from her but as if he was just getting more comfortable. "Oishi-kun, Is everything, okay?" Kiko asked finally. He could not take her asking him to kiss her again. He felt embarrassed and he felt a bit...angry although he really couldn't say why.

"Yes. Fine. Excuse me, I am just...going to the washroom. I...I'll be right back."

"But...but...Oishi-kun, the movie is going to end soon."

"I'm sorry, you can tell me what happens, okay?" He tried to smile and then get up as calmly as possible and walk, not to run, to the exit. He was checking over his shoulder every few steps to make sure she wasn't behind him, following him.

He was so focused on getting away that he almost knocked Fuji over exiting the men's room while he was going in.

"Oishi!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry Fuji-senpai! I...I didn't see you!"

Fuji followed him into the room, gave a little chuckle and said, "Ah. Eiji was _just _here a minute ago."

"Eiji, oh?" Oishi hadn't even noticed he was gone.

"Mmmm, he said something about, medicine drops?" Oishi made a face and nodded glumly. "Would you care for a candy?" Oishi went to gratefully take one and then withdrew his hand. Fuji enjoyed flavors that most other people tried to avoid. "Don't worry Oishi," Fuji said smiling, "they're only orange flavored."

"Oh! Thank you. Thank you very much." Oishi took one and went to wash around his mouth and face before eating the candy.

Before he had a chance Fuji glided in closer to him and said, "Ne, Oishi, can I smell your breath to see what it was?" Oishi did not even have a chance to answer. Fuji leaned closer still, putting his lips and nose right below Oishi's mouth and sniffed, nearly kissing him. "Mmmmm, actually that smells interesting, I'll have to find out what it is. Do you know?" The tensai was so close, and staring up into his eyes. His voice was a velvet purr. Any tiny movement and they would be kissing.

Oishi hurriedly took a back step away, and wiped his mouth shaking his head no before Fuji decided to taste! "No." He said. Then he put the orange candy in his mouth, "No, but, it burned."

"Ah. Eiji said so too." Then Fuji walked out smiling and Oishi followed completely bewildered.

As it turned out the movie had just let out so both he and Fuji had to wait for everyone to exit to find their friends. Kiko marched up to Oishi asking if everything was okay. She looked annoyed. He assured her he was fine, everything was fine, and he took her hand trying not to touch his calluses to her cold skin so they could exit. For some reason he could not look Eiji or Fuji in the eye right then. His date, placated, was telling him how the movie ended, but he all heard was Eiji talking about the movie to his date who was of course laughing at everything he said.

Fuji was next to him on his other side, and he suddenly said to Eve, "Dancing? Yes I know a very good place to go dancing. We should all go next Saturday."

Kiko said, "Oh Oishi-kun won't that be fun? Another triple date." Oishi nodded trying not to show how down he was feeling. What he wanted to do right then and there was go home, get into bed, and put the covers over his head for a week or longer. But then he thought about his bed and what had gone on with Eiji in it and he shook his head.

Kiko looked at him shaking his head and looked confused. To cover it he said, "You can go, right?" He asked Kiko hoping she said she could not.

"Yes!" She said smiling.

Fuji, surprisingly, finally ended the date from hell telling the girls he had to be their good senpai as they had practice before school early the next morning. Kiko realizing the date was over, latched herself onto Oishi as if she wouldn't let him go. Wanting to escape, Oishi gave Kiko a peck on the lips and a chaste hug goodbye, (well he tried, but her mouth was wide open again so it was awkward at best), he saw Eiji hugging his date, he couldn't tell if they were kissing, figured they were, and then he turned away to see Fuji really kissing Eve, right there on the street.

If Tezuka did something like that Oishi could not have been more stunned, well, maybe a little, but almost as much. For the first time in a long while Oishi found he and Eiji were looking directly at each other, mirroring shock at Fuji. Then they both looked away.

When Fuji let her go it looked like she was reeling a bit and unsteady on her tiny high heels. Fuji smiled and said as calm as could be in English, "Thank you Eve, I had a nice time, have a good first week in school. Maybe I will see you." Fuji smiled and shrugged. Eve for her part looked surprised and flushed, and then she looked amazed as Fuji walked away from her.

Soon after the guys and girls parted company.

Oishi and Eiji had not eaten "real" food in hours and Fuji suggested a burger place nearby. There again everything seemed normal. Oishi thought to himself that he would only really talk about his date if Eiji asked and maybe only if Fuji wasn't around. He then wondered if Eiji didn't have a good time. He seemed to, but if Eiji did then he would have invited the girls to come to eat with them. But he hadn't. Interesting.

Eiji in fact said nearly nothing. He just kept eating bite after bite while Fuji who sat between them did all the talking. Oishi could barely eat and felt very depressed. He couldn't really say why though. The date was bad but his friends were there, right?

Before they went their separate ways Oishi on his and Fuji and Eiji on theirs as they lived nearer each other, the subject of the terrible medicine mints came up. Eiji really made Oishi laugh describing their stinging, terrible, noxious taste.

All Fuji said was he forgot to ask them what they were. They smelled so interesting too.

Oishi walked home and was nearly there when Eiji called his cell phone.

"Hoi, Oishi are you mad at me? Is something wrong? Did I...did I do something wrong?"

"No Eiji. Not at all. Why do you ask?"

"Nya! Oishi...you seemed...you were far from me."

"Eiji, I'm sorry. I really didn't ignore you or anything. We had dates. Its different when its just you and I. Right?" A flash of last night, kissing Eiji, tore through Oishi and he shook his head to dismiss the thought.

"Oishi, did you like her? Do you like Kiko?"

"She's nice."

"oh."

"You seemed to like Kiku, Eiji." For some reason that really bothered Oishi. Eiji did not even _know_ her.

"She's okay. Hoi she tasted really, _really _bad! And that stuff burned!"

Oishi laughed, "It was awful!"

Eiji laughed. "Hoi! Oishi you really kiss much better!" Eiji was still laughing and did not notice over the phone that Oishi had stopped laughing. In fact he even had stopped walking and just stood there, standing frozen ,with his mouth hanging open. Yes, he had thought about it, and yes, it was very true, and yes, last night was, well it was the best kiss Oishi had ever had, but he would never _SAY_ it.

There was along pause.

"Oishi, Hoi? Oishi! I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. Don't worry. I'm your best friend. I won't ever tell. Not even Fuji-senpai."

Oishi closed his eyes and tried to just take a deep slow breath. And then one more after that. "I know Eiji. I'm not worried."

Eiji laughed. "L-I-A-R!" He said in a singsong voice. "Your lips are probably pressed together tight and there is a wrinkle between your eyes."

Oishi laughed a little and forced his face to relax. "How did you know?"

"Because I know you. G' night Oishi. See you tomorrow."

"G' night Eiji."

He hung up and put the key into the lock of his house. He took off his shoes, said hello and goodnight to his family, and got ready for bed. He was going to take a fast shower and then decided to take a quick bath to help him relax. He felt grungy. He put some of the last of his sisters bubble bath into the bathtub on impulse, reminding himself to buy more for her. He lay down in the bathtub in the same spot Eiji was only about 24 hours before, and smiled at the memory of his friend splashing bubbles and water everywhere, and wanting him to get into the bathtub with him. He relaxed back noticing he was stiff and sore in different places than normal. The different muscles he used grinding against Eiji he thought and tried to dismiss the thought.

He dried himself off and dressed for bed. He put his stuff for school together for the morning, set his alarm, made sure his fish were fine, and lay down. His bed felt huge with just one person in it and almost unfamiliar. He realized as Eiji talked to him and said goodnight he probably was in his bed where they slept two nights ago. Oishi wondered if that bed felt big to Eiji and if Eiji was asleep by now.

Oishi lay on his side, and considered masturbating. Then he decided not to because he was tired, his skin was a bit sore and raw from the friction of the night before, and most of all because he was a bit afraid of what he would think about. He was worried he would not think about Kiko or her cold snaking hands, or awful kiss, all of which certainly were more appropriate, right?

He was worried he would think more about Eiji's warm, wet, mouth, his full lips, his soft skin, the moan he made when Oishi sucked gently on his tongue, and his strong callused hands. He was worried he would think more about the noises his friend made when he came and how his friend just knew to press his hips up while he pressed down, or the way Eiji kissed his fingers and asked him to please...kiss him.

Oishi shook his head to clear the thoughts that were making him hard again. Amazing that Kiko had said nearly the same thing to him and it did nothing for him. He lay there, thought about things, and worried for a long time.

Finally frustrated and exhausted, he flopped over to his back, noticing that one of his pillows, the one Eiji mostly used besides his shoulder, smelled a bit like Eiji. Oishi pushed it away and lay on his other one.

Oishi fell asleep finally a long while later. He slept fitfully, without realizing he had the pillow that smelled like Eiji on his chest, covering his chin, near his nose.

He slept with his arm around it.

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A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing (or re-reviewing)!

More chapters up on my livejournal and XDD

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